Surgical Approaches: Transcortical-Transventricular Removal of Craniopharyngioma. Transcortical-Transventricular Removal of Craniopharyngioma.

Craniopharyngiomas have remained a clinical challenge for neurosurgeons for over a century. Surgical approaches have evolved to allow access to any point along the craniopharyngeal duct where these tumors arise while limiting surgical morbidity and mortality. Tumors within the third ventricle are rare, but pose particular surgical challenges. The transcortical-transventricular or transcallosal-transventricular approaches provide technically challenging but effective ways to reach these tumors while attempting to preserve the floor of the third ventricle and pituitary function. In this chapter, the authors present their decision-making process, describe these surgical approaches, and discuss techniques to minimize surgical morbidity and mortality.